The site of Diaporit occupies a small valley on the south-west shore of Lake Butrint. Although the standing remains were noted by the archaeological Italian mission in the 1920’s the first systematic archaeological work was carried out by John Moreland and Mark Pluciennik, as part of the field survey of the hinterland of Butrint. The standing remains were planned and surface ceramics collected, which dated from the 1st century B.C to the 6th century A.D and the 13th to 15th centuries A.D. A further survey was carried out in 1999. The finds from the surveys indicated that the standing remains consisted of a large Roman villa and an Early Christian basilica. In 2000 three trenches were opened and excavations were conducted to test the depth and nature of the archaeological stratigraphy. Trench A was located on the south side of the site and exposed a large bath house complex with two construction phases. The first phase included a heated room (later dated to the mid first century), with a hypocaust standing to its full height. This was demolished to make way for the second phase which included an apsidal room, oval vestibule an another heated room. These later rooms were all richly decorated with exotic marble panel’s which were later removed. Following the removal of the marble, further walls were constructed within the interior of the apsidal room and a large grave was inserted beneath the western niche of this room. Trench B was opened between the bath house buildings and the church, adjacent to a large terracing wall. The removal of a 6th century tile dump revealed thick demolition layers within a room. The room walls of the room abutted an early structure which was richly painted with bands of colour and a simpler blue and white design. The painted rooms were subsequently modified with the addition of later walls that were intended to extend the upper terrace.

The excavations in 2001 continued to investigate the villa as they had in 2000. Trenches A and B, first opened in 2000, were extended and by the end of the season 20 rooms were partially or wholly excavated. The earliest buildings erected over a series of terraces were dated to the 1st century A.D, but republican pottery suggested that there may be even earlier activity. Trench E revealed floor levels of the upper and lower terraces showing that the height of a terrace was 2.2m. The trench also revealed a room with simple decoration, dark blue panels outlined by yellowish green bands sitting above a dado level painted to resemble a veneer of grey marble or granite, suggesting that this room was within a service area. Trench B indicated that after several modifications the buildings belonging to the first phase were demolished by the late 1st or early second century. The expanding of trench A revealed the extent of the second phase bath house complex, which was built on both terraces down to the shore line. The complex was abandoned and robbed during the early third century. The only evidence of activity until the site was reoccupied in the 6th century was the discovery of 4th century Gazan amphora and late 4th early 5th century coins.

The 2002 excavations identified three major phases to the Roman villa. The earliest phase of the villa, dated to the mid 1st century, was on a different alignment to the later phases. This allowed isolated remains to be associated with them. The complex appeared to be at least 60m by 40m. The villa probably comprised four wings laid out around a large central courtyard with a garden surrounded by a peristyle. The second phase consisted of significant alterations during the second century with the new bath house complex noted in previous seasons and the extending of the villa 40m to the south. In the late second or early third century the marble decoration was taken and the apsidal room became a kitchen. A black layer developed during its use, which contained huge assemblies of cooking pots. The third phase used the 2nd century remains as foundations for the new villa. This complex was much smaller and the storage facilities found suggested that villa may have had two storeys, the upper for accommodation. The lower floor also contained a small but elaborately decorated room, a possible estate office. Other ruined areas of the earlier villas were used for burial and dumping rubbish.

The 2003 excavations uncovered remains dating to the Hellenistic and Republican periods and further sections of the bath house complex. On the lower terrace beneath 1st century AD deposits a wall and a line of three cross-shaped pier bases were found. A coin minted at the Greek colony of Apollonia and dating to the third century BC was discovered in deposits that lay under the wall. Other walls of similar construction and orientation (different to that of the later villas) were found representing additions and alterations. The remains suggested two phases of the early complex one dating to the 3rd century B.C. and one to the 1st century B.C. Exploration of the foundations of the 1st century A.D. villa indicated that it used the terrace line of the preceding villa suggesting no hiatus in occupation. The new terrace lines created were elaborate and further rooms were discovered on the upper terrace one with a black and white marble geometric mosaic. At the start of the second century the foundations of a large new room on the upper terrace bisected the mosaic pavement. Detailed examination of the second villa phase shows that it was poorly constructed, the drains seemingly inserted as an afterthought following a haphazard route through doorways and around the ends of pre-existing buildings. During the abandonment in the 3rd century a room on the upper terrace was used for the production of pottery shown by a small pottery kiln and associated waste. Postholes were dug in to the mosaic securely dated to 200 -250 A.D.

The 2004 season was dedicated to discovering more about the Hellenistic occupation of the site. Hellenistic levels were identified in three separate areas of the site, demonstrating the extent of this early occupation which covered an area of up to 2,000 m2 that was laid out on terraces like the later Roman villas. The occupation appeared to be short lived with coins finds clustered around the late 3rd century BC and lack of Hellenistic material in later deposits. The excavations in the first villa phase were concentrated in the west wing in particular a monumental fountain in the form of a semi circular basin. It was replaced by a larger apsidal wall and the later fountain was found to have an axial window to see through to the garden beyond. Further excavation in the bath house complex revealed that some of the 1st century buildings were demolished to create an open courtyard with walls that were decorated with a series of blind arches. The geometric mosaic of the eastern wing was fully excavated.